NFL Player News

Smith (groin) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Panthers.

The second-year tight end sat out in Week 10 with this injury but returned to a limited role in Week 11. However, this injury seems to be lingering, as he'll be sidelined once again this Sunday. Kyle Rudolph will operate as the clear No. 1 tight end, while Tyler Conklin sees an uptick in usage as well.

Ertz (ankle) is not expected to play Monday against the Seahawks, Geoff Mosher of 97.5 The Fanatic Philadelphia reports.

There was some optimism earlier in the week that Ertz could be activated off injured reserve, but coach Doug Peterson essentially suggested the wait for the veteran tight end would continue into Week 13. Expect another round of Dallas Goedert and Richard Rodgers splitting the tight end reps with Ertz sidelined another week.

Daniels (ankle) has been ruled out for Sunday's game versus the Patriots, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

After missing a second straight week of practice, Daniels will again be sidelined. Dan Arnold should see more playing time behind starter Maxx Williams until Daniels can return.

Lewis (knee) won't carry an injury designation into Sunday's game against the Bears, Wes Hodkiewicz of the Packers' official site reports.

Lewis followed his typical regimen of limited reps during the practice week, but he's ready to go for Week 12. The 36-year-old predominantly operates in a run-blocking role, as he's caught just five passes this year for 40 yards and two scores.

Hudson (personal) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Chiefs.

Hudson will miss a second straight game following the passing of his father. His next chance to play is following the team's Week 13 bye. Antony Auclair should see an uptick in usage again behind Rob Gronkowski and Cameron Brate.

Pruitt (knee) will not play in Sunday's contest against the Colts, Erik Bacharach of The Tennessean reports.

Pruitt returned to practice this week after suffering a knee sprain Week 9. It appears the Titans will not push it, and will wait until he has fully recovered. His next chance to suit up will come in Week 13 versus the Browns.

Higbee (elbow) is listed as questionable for Sunday's contest against the 49ers, Kevin Modesti of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Higbee was unable to practice all week due to an elbow injury that he suffered during a Week 11 win at Tampa Bay. During a media session Friday, coach Sean McVay said Higbee will be a game-time call as a result, meaning his availability likely will come down to how he looks during a pregame warmup. The Rams will make a ruling on Higbee's status about 90 minutes before Sunday's 4:05 p.m. ET kickoff. If Higbee is limited or doesn't play at all, Gerald Everett and Johnny Mundt will take on extra TE reps.

Andrews (thigh) was listed as limited on Friday's practice estimate, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reports.

The Ravens are holding all team activities virtually due to a COVID-19 outbreak among teammates and staff members, but Andrews has maintained a 'limited' listing on all five injury reports this week. With their Week 12 matchup rescheduled a second time to Tuesday, when they're slated to visit Pittsburgh, he likely will be on the receiving end of passes from Robert Griffin due to Lamar Jackson (illness) residing on the reserve/COVID-19 list. And that's assuming the game is played at all.

Tonyan (ankle) doesn't have a designation for Sunday's contest versus the Bears, Wes Hodkiewicz of the Packers' official site reports.

Tonyan was listed as limited on the Packers' first two injury reports of Week 12, but a full session Friday has cleared him for game action. He'll look to take advantage of a Chicago defense that has allowed the sixth-most touchdown catches (six, tied with eight other teams) to opposing tight ends this season.

Hurst (ankle) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against Las Vegas, D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Listed as DNP on the first two practice reports this week, Hurst then returned to the field Friday as a limited participant. We may not know for sure until the Falcons release their inactive list approximately 90 minutes prior to the 1 p.m. ET kickoff. If Hurst doesn't end up playing, Luke Stocker and Jaeden Graham likely would split snaps at tight end, with the former mostly a blocker and the latter a better bet to contribute in the passing game.